Ch.103Chapter 103. A Lingering Attachment That Cannot Be Abandoned

Tigria had become a dot in the sky, holding out an unfurled scroll of knowledge.

The mage, with eyes closed, was deploying a search spell. Upon detecting twisted creatures that matched her set conditions, she quietly murmured.

“Eleven o’clock, behind the bushes. Approximately 70 of them.”

Before she finished speaking, Lucy leaped into the air and soared beside Tigria.

“Confirmed.”

Then the hero mercilessly landed at the spot Tigria had indicated.

KWAAANG-!

The impact of that leap—which Lin had once refused with a pale face, now quite some time ago—tore through the air and ground.

That alone sent more than half of the monsters around Lucy flying.

True to their mindless nature, the monsters fearlessly charged at the hero.

It was their habit to rush in recklessly without discerning the enemy’s strength.

When the hero swung Abyss, half of the remaining monsters were sliced to pieces.

Without even needing to use Estelryu techniques, she easily cleared out the monsters just by thrusting and slashing.

“Ah, I’m late.”

Lin, arriving belatedly, clicked her tongue in disappointment.

She had run here directly since she couldn’t waste utility skills on mere monster groups, but she couldn’t match the hero Lucy’s speed.

“There are more over there.”

“Oh, really?”

PUBUBUBUBUNG!

As soon as Lucy pointed to the opposite side, Tigria swept the area with magic.

With just a gesture, dozens of flames and lasers shot out—when it came to firepower, mages truly were unmatched.

“There were some, but they just disappeared.”

“…”

Silently staring at the spot where only smoke rose, Lin scuffed the innocent ground with her foot.

“I want to fight too.”

“Absolutely not. You might get hurt.”

“While you two fight without hesitation.”

“That’s our role.”

Finally, after holding back for so long, Lin grumbled quietly.

“Yet you complained when I said I wouldn’t fight.”

At that, Lucy quickly ran over and embraced Lin tightly.

Tigria, who had heard Lin’s muttering through magic, immediately flew over and hugged her from behind.

“Um… hey, you two?”

“I’m scared of you getting hurt.”

“Okay, okay. I misspoke. I’ll be careful, alright?”

Lin hurriedly tried to explain and break free, but Lucy shook her head and burrowed in deeper.

Tigria also subtly pressed herself closer.

Lin had to take a deep breath from the pleasant yet overwhelming pressure from both front and back.

Hmm, I couldn’t expect this from Ravin, could I?

“Look, even that fox is staring at us. I’m embarrassed.”

When Lucy turned her head, there was a black-furred fox.

It sat demurely, but its gaze seemed quite disapproving.

“Who does that fox think it’s looking at?”

“No, Lucy-ena. It might be eyeing us precisely because it’s a fox.”

“Should I kill it?”

“I agree.”

“No no no no! What are you trying to kill now?!”

As Lucy and Tigria’s gazes changed, Lin quickly stopped them.

“Well! Today’s work is done, right? Let’s eat. I’ll cook something delicious.”

“Today I’m Lin’s assistant!”

“No, Lucy-ena. You did the dishes at lunch, so it’s obviously my turn.”

“Should I kill you too?”

“Want to try?”

“…Am I doing it alone?”

Strange.

Clearly, things seemed to have improved after Lin scolded them and they cried last time.

Lucy no longer whined, and Tigria became even more diligent…

Yet somehow, they seemed to be engaged in a competition over Lin.

Lin was anxious about what kind of incidents these two might cause when they reached the demon army front line.

“Does this mean we’ve dealt with all the monsters between Rowellina and the front line?”

“That’s right, Lin. I don’t sense any more presences.”

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, monsters were gathered not only outside the front line but also between the city and the front line.

It was unclear what route they had used to enter, but they needed to clear out the ones that were already there.

Upon receiving Tigria’s report, Biscon was horrified and immediately ordered their elimination, which Lin’s group faithfully carried out.

Now that the internal cleanup was complete, it was time to advance to the demon army’s front line.

“We’ll arrive in about a day and a half from now, right?”

“Yes, it should take about that long.”

Tigria, accepting the bowl Lin handed her, discovered chopped carrots in the stew and secretly scooped them out to discard them.

This was the result of Lucy’s help.

The culprit herself was making a sad face every time her spoon brought up strands of chopped carrots.

Chewing the carrot strands forcibly, the hero brought up a constructive topic for once.

“The Demon King and the Demon Heroes definitely operate their forces differently.”

“Is that so?”

While Lin, who didn’t know much about military tactics, just went along with it, Tigria took it seriously.

“The Demon King gathered forces and attacked head-on, but the Demon Heroes seem to prefer covert operations and strategies over such orthodox methods. Like how they infiltrated monsters between the city and the front line.”

Hearing this, it sounded concerning.

If the Demon King with overwhelming power was like an approaching storm that feared nothing, then the Demon Heroes were like a drizzle that would soak your clothes if you weren’t careful.

Both were frightening, but the latter required more vigilance.

“Come to think of it, aren’t the Demon Heroes more demon-like?”

“That’s true.”

“I agree.”

When Lin spoke, Lucy and Tigria nodded eagerly.

Lin was generally not one to speak much unless necessary.

Especially Lucy, who became restless when Lin was silent.

Since she had pushed Lin so hard during their Demon King subjugation journey that the porter had lived with his mouth shut, Lucy would sometimes force conversation.

That’s why when Lin voluntarily said even a word, as he did now, they responded enthusiastically.

Still, as casual chatter increased recently, Lucy and Tigria felt a slight regret that they should have been like this from the beginning, along with relief that Lin was becoming more comfortable with them.

“I’ll prepare some food for the fox.”

Lin stood up, filling a bowl with stew.

“Again?”

Lucy, who didn’t want to be separated from Lin even for a moment, complained but didn’t stop him.

The black fox that had appeared when they left Rowellina had been following them at a consistent distance.

Both Lucy and Tigria had grown so accustomed to its presence that they would feel empty if it wasn’t visible.

“I’ll be back.”

Lin walked slowly.

If he walked at a moderate pace, the fox would appear on its own and clean out the food he provided.

Perhaps because he gave it the same food he made for people without discrimination, the fox seemed to quite enjoy Lin’s cooking.

However, today the fox appeared quite late.

After walking and walking until the campfire was barely visible in the distance, Lin finally spotted the fox sitting on a tree stump.

“There you are.”

When he set down the bowl, the fox slightly bowed its head and carefully began to eat.

But the fox also spat out all the carrots that Lucy had chopped and added.

Yet it was cute how it carefully chewed the meat that had soaked up the stew.

As the fox nearly emptied the bowl, Lin casually asked:

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to eat like that?”

The fox stared at Lin while licking its lips.

It narrowed its eyes, then gradually began to increase in size.

The slowly growing form eventually took on a human shape.

“I thought vampires could only transform into bats.”

“That’s prejudice. What do you take vampires for?”

The dual swordswoman Denarua snorted and sat on the stump.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Just a feeling?”

The vampire’s eyes narrowed.

There was no way he could have noticed just by intuition.

Unlike other Demon Heroes, Denarua could completely conceal her demonic energy by drawing on the vampire’s passive stealth.

Because of this, even Lucy hadn’t noticed her.

Yet Lin recognized her just by feeling?

‘Is he becoming more able to sense us?’

That would mean…

Denarua shook her head to dispel her thoughts.

That wasn’t what she came to find out.

“Those two, have you forgiven them?”

“No? Not at all. But when everything is over, I probably should, shouldn’t I?”

Denarua genuinely disliked that answer.

“Forgiveness isn’t an obligation.”

“That’s true.”

“It’s not something you give out of some reverse guilt, like someone who lent money feeling burdened by the borrower.”

“Um… that’s a long but somewhat understandable metaphor.”

“Listen when someone is talking to you.”

Denarua stood up abruptly.

As it turned out, she had a temper as short as Lucy’s.

“I haven’t forgiven the Second Mage and her lackeys, and I have no reason to.”

“Isn’t that because they haven’t shown remorse or apologized?”

“Would your wounds disappear if they showed remorse and apologized?”

When Denarua became emotional, Lin closed his mouth.

At times like this, it was better to just listen.

“Should someone who has suffered be forced to suppress their pain and forgive the other person just because they’ve shown remorse or apologized? That’s demanding the sacrifice of forgiveness.”

“So you’re saying you haven’t forgiven them yet.”

“Lin, come to us.”

Denarua was desperate.

That’s why she shed her previous attitude and sincerely urged him.

“We won’t hurt you. We like you. All of us like you.”

“I appreciate the offer, but if I side with the demons, innocent people will be harmed. As someone who has experienced pain, I can’t inflict more suffering on others just because I’ve suffered.”

“We fell into darkness because humans inflicted unbearable pain on us! Humans suffering is our revenge!”

“Do you really believe that?”

Lin felt sorry for her.

The angrier Denarua became, the calmer he grew.

“Look at Agreus. He joined hands with the Demon God and sacrificed adults in the slums. Are you saying all of that is your revenge? Involving innocent people, uninvolved people? Denarua, I’d like the Demon Heroes to be different from him.”

The dual swordswoman momentarily thought of Guerrero.

It was just like him to say such things.

But while she once believed those words, she no longer did.

“Setting everything else aside, even if our pain is different, if people who have been hurt comfort each other, we can heal.”

“No, I can’t set it aside. You call it bloody revenge for yourselves, but to me, it just looks like venting. I’ve rarely gotten angry, but whenever I do, sooner or later I regret not having been more patient or finding another way. That regret will haunt you.”

“Are you saying seeking revenge is wrong? Are you going to give me that fundamental lecture about how revenge ultimately hurts oneself?”

“I’m saying your targets for revenge aren’t right. I seek revenge too. I killed the Pope, and now all that’s left are the Imperial Princess and the Shield Knight. Not the Empire itself.”

Denarua was saddened.

It saddened her that despite what happened to him in the City of Romance, he harbored no resentment toward the people of the world.

He must know.

How hateful this world is, where anyone who looks at you and knows who you are shows contemptuous gazes and disdainful behavior.

Unable to leave that sad expression alone, Lin reached out his hand, but Denarua roughly knocked it away.

“You pushed me away, so why do you look like the one who was rejected?”

“Because you won’t come with me!”

The dual swordswoman, having given up, turned her back to him.

Her slightly trembling back looked pitiful.

“I’m not a saint like you! Fine, an idiot like you needs to suffer more.”

She’s hurt.

Lin gave a bitter smile at the unintended result.

But what needed to be settled had to be settled clearly.

“Next time we meet, I won’t go easy on you, Denarua.”

“…That’s my line. Take good care of those women beside you.”

At Lin’s declaration of war, she also abandoned her lingering attachment.

There would be no more amicable encounters like this in the future.

With a heart frosting over with coldness, Denarua was about to retreat when, ultimately, she picked up the attachment she had discarded.

“Still, since you like blood and slaughter, call me anytime if you need help with revenge.”

She’s soft after all.

How could such a tender girl have fallen into darkness as a demon?

Lin felt regretful and sorry.

“Take care.”

“Shut up, you idiot!”

With that harsh response, she departed.

Lin picked up the bowl left behind.

The small amount of stew remaining looked like the lingering attachment the vampire couldn’t discard.